Theftproof display stand



29, 1952 A. H. SHEARER 2,604,868

THEFTPROOF DISPLAY STAND Filed June 4, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET l .INVENTOR.

ARTWR H. SHEARER A'GENT July 29, 1952 A. H. SHEARER THEFTPROOF DISPLAY STAND 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 4, 1951 FIG. 5

TO SIGNAL DEVICE INVENTOR. ARTHUR H. SHEARER AGENT fatented July 29, 1952 l' Anastasia,19s1,s..i.iN...-i29,1ia ib -11ers) .This invention relates to; a display. shelf ,or Figure- 5 is a seetiorial. viewon theline-S ;5 standandhasspeQial'reference to sucha shelf Figure 2.,-;; r s I M V is i. or stand having meansincorporated therewith Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional 'wloff'a to render articles displayed thereon substantially shelf,- showing the structure of theball-holding free from the possibility of beingstolefn r 5 and guiding channel. I I

7 It is well known, in retail establishments, that Figure 7 is'a rear view of a single shelf equipped a good counter or shelf dispIay Within close proxwith the invention. a v a imityto prospective purchasers, is of great value In the drawing, the reference numeral in.-

in creating a largeturnover of the particular dicates the, basemember of a counter display] item displayed. It seems that when people can 10 stand, 2 2 indicateside members or supports, pick up an item and handle it, they will usually and 3 indicates the back of the stand, all parts buy the article. However, there are some people being made of any suitable material such as who pickup and depart with articles this discardboard, if the display stand is to be cheap and played :without paying for same. In certain expendable or wood if the stand is to be relative-- classes of stores where relatively expensive items 1y a permanent fixture of the establishment using are thusdisplayed, the loss ofone such item can same. I

mean the lossof a considerable amount of-money. The displaystand may be proVi'dedIwith one or; For example, I in a liquor or. perfume display, more shelves, three separate shelves beingshown even one bottle may represent a sizable investin the drawings, the single lower shelf, 4, the front' merit, and the loss of one bottle will cut into or outer upper shelf 5, and the rearor inner upper the days profit considerably. shelf 5. All of the display shelves are preferably -B etailers, knowing the value of counter. vdisofsubstantially identical construction; therefore, plays and the like, are very reluctant to use them they will be described as one.

because of the theft problem. It is, therefore, Each of the 'shelveshas a'groove or channel one of my principal objects to provide a display 2 l inthe upper face thereof forTeach'article to be shelf which substantially eliminates the, possidisplayed, the channels preferably extending bility of displayed articles being stolen from the from the front end of the shelf toward the rear display. end thereof. The channel length is not critical Another object isto provide a counter display and it may extend to the rear end of the shelf which, while having the theft-proof qualities, is if desired, or it may be relatively short and still relatively inexpensive to manufacture and sell, function in the desired manner, as will become and whi'eh may be readilyiproducedin quantity. apparent. Q 1

Another'objecit'isito provide.suchraftheft-proof As seen in the drawings, the channels'havean display shelf with means whereby anaudible sig inclined bottom 8, the rear end of the channel nalwill be heard when a displayed article is repreferably being at a lower elevation than the moved from the shelf. I front end thereof. The bottom wall 8 preferably Another object is to provide means whereby does not extend the entire length of the channel the soundingof the audible signal, when a disbut is cut off as shown to provide an opening 9 played article is removed from the shelf, will not through the'bottom of the channel. v be objectionable to would-be-purcha'sers, and 40 I In operation, an object to be displayed, such which may even enhance their desire to' buy the as a bottle I0 'or the like, is placed over a channel displayed article. (in -slightly rearwardly spaced relation to the These and other objects and advantages of the front end of the channel, and a round ball ll, invention will become more apparent as the desuch as amarble or the like, is placed in the upper scription proceeds. Y a of shallow end of the channel in front of the In the accompanying drawing forming a part bottle, the marblebeing of such diameter as to ofthis application: extend slightly above the upper surface of the Figure l is a perspective view of a counter disshelf, whereby it will engage the lower edge of play stand made in accordance with my inventhe bottle and be heldffrom rolling down the 111- tion. r clined' channel bottom. However, when the Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of Figure 1. bottle ID, or other displayed object, is raised,

Figure 3 is a sectional view onfthe line 3-3, even ifraised just slightly, the ball l is freed Figure 2. and" released to run down'the channel. Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmental perspective The ball is guided down the channel and view showing a channel in a display shelf for use passes through the opening 9 in the channel in practicing my invention. where suitable guiding or directing means I 2 are 3 provided to direct the ball into engagement with a signal device l3, such as a bell or chime. While a bell is here shown, a chime may be preferred in some cases as it is diflicult to tell just where the sound of the chime is coming from and a wouldbe thief may not'be-aware that he actuated the signal with his removal of the displayed article;

It would then be possible to catch the thief with the goods.

Of course, the ball-guiding or directing means l2 may be of any suitable design to fit the particular shelf or support for the displayed-article;

channel to said signal device when said ball is released to roll down said channel by the raisin of said article.

2. A theft-proof means for displaying an article of merchandise comprising a shelf on which said'article is supported, a groove in the upper surface of said shelf beneath said article when the latter is supported on said shelf, said groove having an inclined bottom, a ball held in however, I have shown the signal, device. i3 10,-

cated on the base I adjacent one side wall 2 of the display stand, and the guiding means as an inclined channel member which extends from 1 the shallow end of said groove by said article so as to tend to roll toward the deeper end of said groove, the deeper end of said channel having an opening therethrough permitting said ball to drop downwardly from said groove when it reaches one end of the shelf toward the other end and ends adjacent the signal device, the channel members being inclined so that objects therein will roll'toward the signal device and upon leavingthe channel will engage the signal device'and causesame to sound.

Theinstant displaystand maybe provided with channel members for its upper shelves comprising a dependingarcuately shaped trough M made of paper or other inexpensive material to keep" manufacturing cost down. The lowershelf may be provided with a channel member comprising a piece of cardboard seton an inclination and having one edge thereof turned'up, as at I5, to guide the balls into engagement with the signal device. In addition, it is preferred that theba-lls be directed downwardly slightly'as they leave the channels or grooves I of the lower shelves and enter the channel members 12 by a deflector I6 so that there. will be no delay in a balls engaging the signal device once it is released;

'I' prefer that the ball i I be substantiallyhidden said deeper end, a signal device carried at a lower level than the upper surface of said shelf, and means to guide said ball from said opening in said groove to said signal device to actuate the latter when said article is raised. 7

V 3. A theft-proof display for an article of merchandise comprising a shelf on which said article may besuppo'rted, a channel in the upper surface of said shelf over which said article is placed when on display, said channel having a bottom wall disposed at an inclination to the horizontal plane, saidball being of such a diameter as to extend above the upper surface of said shelf at the shallow end of saidchannel and a ball adapted to be held in the shallow end of said channel by said article when the latter is posi tioned over said channel in a condition tending to-vroll down said inclined wall, a signal device carried at a lower level than the upper surfaceo-f said shelf, and means to guide said ballirom from view when the device isin operation; there- 1. ma device for preventing the theft of articles displayed for sale, a shelf; a channel in the upper surface of said shelf under each of said articles, said channel extending from adjacent the front of said shelf toward-the rear thereof and having a portion 'thereof'open beyond the, article displayed thereover, the opposite end of 'saidechannel having an opening therethrough to permit an article traveling in said channel to drop downwardly, the bottom of said channel being inclined and the shallow end of said channelbeing at said open portion, a ball carried in said shallow end and being of a size to extend out of said channel. to engage, and'beheldfro'm' rolling down said. inclined bottom by sai'dfdisplayed article when, thelatter is in place on said shelf, a-signal device below saidshelf', and means to guide said'ball from said opposite end, of said said channel to engage said signal device when said article is raised to release said ball.

4. Atheft-proof display stand for an articleoi merchandise comprising a shelf having an upper surface on which said article is supported for displa a channel in said shelf and extending under said article when the latter is in normal isplayposition, said channel having a bottom wall which is disposed at an inclination to the horizontal, a ball adapted to roll on said bottom' wall and be guided by said channel to travel downwardly along the inclination ofsaid bottom wall, said article when in normal position on display over said channel serving to hold said ball from rolling the full length of said bottom wall and to release said ball to roll the remainder of the length of'said bottom wall whenisaid article is removed from its normal'display position on. said shelf, saidchannel having an opening atthe lowermost end of said inclined bottom to permit said ball to pass downwardly with increased speed over its travel. in said channel, a signal device carried below said shelf, and means to lead said ball to said' signal device to sound same as quickly as possible after said ball leaves said channelto indicate that said article has been moved "from itsnormal display position.

' ARTHUR H. 'SHEARER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inf-the file of this patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,685,329 Lynch Sept. 25, 1928 2,467,873 Weir Apr. 19,1949 

